1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for filling shell bodies with sub-projectiles. The shell body is filled in a defined geometric arrangement that eliminates sifting errors.
2. Discussion of the Background of the Invention and Material Information
Oerlikon-Contraves of Zurich, Switzerland discloses, in publication OC 2052 d 94, that an attacking target may be destroyed by sustaining multiple hits by shells containing sub-projectiles if, following ejection of the sub-projectiles, an expected area of the target is covered by a cloud formed by the sub-projectiles. The sub-projectiles are ejected by an explosive charge placed in the shell, such that when triggered, the part of the shell containing the sub-projectiles is separated and torn open at predetermined breaking points. In such a shell, it is important that the sub-projectiles are maintained securely and fixed against relative rotation in the shell. Rotation is transferred to the sub-projectiles, so that the shells travel over a stable trajectory. It is also disclosed that the sub-projectiles achieve spin-stabilization after ejection.
To improve the probability of a hit, the sub-projectiles should be distributed as evenly as possible lying on circular surfaces. The even distribution of sub-projectiles is primarily determined by a geometric arrangement of the sub-projectiles in the interior of the shell.
Each shell described above contains a relatively large amount of sub-projectiles which must be carefully fitted into the required geometric arrangement for the purpose of achieving identical properties. However, conventional filling methods can only achieve this goal after a large expenditure of time.